Today, California Senate Republicans submitted a petition on behalf of nearly 13,000 Californians who signed on to urge the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to postpone today’s vote on changes to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard fee program. If enacted, the proposal would raise the cost per gallon of California gasoline upwards of 65 cents per gallon immediately.
“Californians are already struggling with ever-rising cost of living in this state and the last thing they can afford is another major increase to the price of gas,” said Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa). “It’s absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable that this board has chosen to ignore how its policies will impact gas prices. How can they possibly vote to approve it if they don’t even know what it will do to Californians at the pump?”
The petition comes as the CARB has been under heavy pressure from the public, the media and legislative Republicans to delay their vote on the issue until its true impacts can be determined and considered. The CARB has thus far indicated it is not willing to postpone the scheduled vote though some individual board members have expressed their concern and opposition to the proposed fee increases.
“The Newsom Administration is forcing this through to price gouge the public on gas and force us into electric vehicles before they are affordable and before there is an adequate charging infrastructure in place statewide,” said Senate Minority Leader Brain W. Jones (R-San Diego) who also authored an opinion piece on the issue earlier this week. “It’s coercive class warfare at its worst and I, along with thousands of Californians, urge the board to vote this down today if they insist on bringing it up for a vote.”
The California Air Resources Board is comprised of political appointees picked by the governor and is recklessly implementing Newsom’s plan to convert all California vehicles to electric by 2035. Newsom has recently called on the Board to increase its efforts to achieve those targets as California is currently not on track to hit the governor’s arbitrary mandate.
Members of the Senate Republican Caucus circulated the petition with nearly 13,000 Californians joining Republicans to voice their opposition. Participating senators represent districts from all areas of the state. Those involved in the effort include Leader Jones, Senator Ochoa Bogh, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), and Senator Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach).